XN000022-1987-01-14 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1987

EARLIER, MR TAM ALSO EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPROVING LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG.

HE SAID WE SHOULD NOT FOCUS ALL OUR ATTENTION ON PROTECTIONISM AS WE COULD STILL DEAL WITH IT BY EXPLORING NEW MARKETS OR DIVERSIFYING OUR PRODUCTS.

BUT IF OUR PRODUCTS THEMSELVES WERE SHORT OF COMPETITIVENESS, THE PROBLEM WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT TO SOLVE.

MR TAM POINTED OUT THAT WE SHOULD NOT MERELY THINK OF REDUCING LABOUR EXPENSE,

+ WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT IS TO FIND OUT HOW TO INCREASE PRODUCTION WITH THE SAME INPUT, I.E. HOW TO ENHANCE HONG KONG'S LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY.

+THIS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS ALIKE,+ HE SAID.

THE GROWTH RATE OF HONG KONG'S LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY WAS SLOWER THAN THAT IN OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES AND REGIONS, MR TAM SAID, ADDING THAT HE BELIEVED THE CAUSES INCLUDED INSUFFICIENT INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENTS, THE SHORTAGE OF TRAINING AND RESEARCH FACILITIES, THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY BEING NOT QUICK ENOUGH, THE DESIGN AND QUALITY OF PRODUCTS STILL REQUIRING IMPROVEMENT AND THE LACK OF POSITIVE PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY BY THE GOVERNMENT.

SINCE HONG KONG WAS SHORT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ITS ECONOMY WAS BASED ON EXPORTS, MR TAM SAID HE FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT THE BEST WAY OF IMPROVING LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY WAS TO RAISE THE WAGES OF EMPLOYEES WITHOUT AFFECTING THE INCOME OF EMPLOYERS.

+ THE IMPROVEMENT OF LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY COULD BE ATTAINED THROUGH DIFFERENT EFFORTS, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE BY MEANS OF ENHANCING THE DEGREE OF AUTOMATION INCREASING THE APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY-INTENSIVE PRODUCTION METHODS SPEEDING UP TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS AND APPLICATION AND REINFORCING PRODUCT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

+ON THE MANPOWER SIDE VOCATIONAL AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING COULD BE ENHANCED TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF WORKERS,+ HE SAID.

HE ADMITTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD MADE CERTAIN PROGRESS IN THESE ASPECTS BUT THERE WAS STILL MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AND BETTERMENT OF LABOUR RELATION WAS ONE OF THE AREAS WE SHOULD LOOK INTO.

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